PhD Funding
At UBC Vancouver, PhD funding is designed to ensure students can focus on their research without undue financial pressure. Currently, 50% of students receive $41,190 or more funding per year in the first 4 years, before tuition and fees. From the Fall of 2026, the guaranteed base funding for PhD students in Years 1-4 will be $40,000 per year. This support typically comes from a mix of graduate research assistantships, teaching assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships.
Recently, funding through the three federal research funding agencies, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has been streamlined into a new harmonized talent program called the Canada Research Training Awards Suite (CRTAS). With this new program, the number of awards for doctoral students will increase by 1,200, with each award valued at $40,000 per year. These awards are open to international students, with 15% of all doctoral awards earmarked for international applicants.
Dr. Dierkes, former Senior Associate Dean, explains why universities and governments invest in graduate students, outlines funding types for research-based master’s and PhD programs, and describes UBC’s Minimum Funding Guarantee for PhD students. Please note that the funding amounts mentioned are lower than current levels, as funding has increased since the video was recorded in 2023.
